Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre

I see that HAL has changed their pre-cruise hotel in Amsterdam from the Renaissance to Movenpick. Has anyone stayed at the Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam and would you recommend this hotel pre-cruise? I see that it is located quite close to the cruise port terminal! Is it possible to walk there with luggage from the Movenpick and how long does it take? :)

We stayed at the Movenpick in November 2013 as pre-cruise hotel (Viking Riverboat). We thought the hotel was very nice and within 5 minute walking to the dock where the riverboats docked. It also was within 8 to 10 minute walk to the Central Station where you can catch any of the city buses or catch a train. If I remember correctly, there is also a bus stop in front of the hotel. The hotel is at the edge of the center of the city, but we either walked or used the buses and had no problem with it's location. I have some pictures looking out of the hotel room and will post (if I figure out how to do it).

It's an excellent hotel and right next to the cruise dock. A "no-brained",really.

Movenpick is next door to the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam - which is probably where HAL cruise ships dock?!? The picture I am attempting to post is looking toward the riverboat docking and Central Station.

Using google maps - streetview - for the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam - you can see the Movenpick. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Passenger+Terminal+Amsterdam/@52.3771836,4.9152468,3a,75y,358.06h,92.63t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s2R2BFZQRrWBIxFPk34xXyA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26output%3Dthumbnail%26thumb%3D2%26panoid%3D2R2BFZQRrWBIxFPk34xXyA%26w%3D223%26h%3D75%26yaw%3D357%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D120%26ll%3D52.377184,4.915247!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x60fb82074430ceb1!6m1!1e1

Hope this helps!! Enjoy your time in Amsterdam - we did!

Prior to my 2013 Eurodam cruise, I stayed there. Yes, it is an easy walk to the Cruise Passenger Terminal with luggage that has wheels; 10 minutes tops, if that. Rooms, service, restaurant and bar were all very good.

My only complaint was that the hotel's web site would lead one to believe that the tram stopped at the hotel's front door. It didn't. Exit the hotel, turn left and walk about a block. Cross a street. Turn right, walk about another blook, turn left and one is close to the tram stop. Across from the hotel, yes, approximately. At the front door? No. Another poster mentioned a bus stop at the front of the hotel. If so, I never saw it.

There are no restaurants in the immediate area. We searched for one that I had found online close to the hotel. Could not find it and had a good non-Dutch dinner at the hotel.

I would choose a different hotel if I am in Amsterdam again. The Movenpick's major advantage is its location near the Passenger Terminal.

Double check that your cruise really leaves from central Amsterdam. Holland America uses Imjuiden for some cruises and it is remote and poorly located.

I've seen the Movenpick hotel, lots of river cruise people stay there. I'm fairly sure you can walk with luggage.

We stayed at the Movenpick for 5 nights before our cruise to Norway. Clean, modern, comfortable. Can easily roll your suitcases to the adjacent cruise terminal. Hotel food good, tram stop is a short walk. Would stay there again.

Movenpick is a nice hotel and more or less on top of the cruise terminal, but it absolutely is not city center (despite the name).

Tramnr. 26 stops very close to the hotel, it brings you to Centraal station.

From there you can connect to any tramnr. in all directions. (Tramnr. 25 used to stop there too but no more.)

We stayed at the Moevenpik a couple of years ago and enjoyed the hotel very much. If you are on one of the higher floors, you get great river views. Don't let anyone tell you (as we had several folks do) that the train station is only 300 meters from the hotel. It is a good 10 minute walk while pulling your luggage along the street. If anyone has mobility issues of any kind, it is better to get a taxi to the hotel.

We found a great little restaurant/bar just a few blocks from the hotel called "Hannekes Boom". A quirky little place, but they had good food, and it was so nice seeing the little boats passing by. Check them out on Trip Advisor.

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

Thank you all very much for all your advice and descriptions related to this hotel! It is most helpful. :)

Thank you all very much for all your advice and descriptions related to this hotel! It is most helpful. :)

It helps to get information directly from folks who have been there. While online reviews are nice, here one can ask further questions about properties/locations and have them answered quickly.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Prior to my 2013 Eurodam cruise, I stayed there. Yes, it is an easy walk to the Cruise Passenger Terminal with luggage that has wheels; 10 minutes tops, if that. Rooms, service, restaurant and bar were all very good.

 

My only complaint was that the hotel's web site would lead one to believe that the tram stopped at the hotel's front door. It didn't. Exit the hotel, turn left and walk about a block. Cross a street. Turn right, walk about another blook, turn left and one is close to the tram stop. Across from the hotel, yes, approximately. At the front door? No. Another poster mentioned a bus stop at the front of the hotel. If so, I never saw it.

 

There are no restaurants in the immediate area. We searched for one that I had found online close to the hotel. Could not find it and had a good non-Dutch dinner at the hotel.

 

I would choose a different hotel if I am in Amsterdam again. The Movenpick's major advantage is its location near the Passenger Terminal.

Sorry for the late reply, did a CC search on the Movenpick for another thread but, with all due respect, you probably missed the obvious tram stop right in front of the hotel: https://goo.gl/maps/u6oiYx339Rr

The bus stop is marked by a yellow sign on a pole and has black and white tiles on the curb side. The tram stop has the shelter, raised platform etc.

As it sounds you have walked a long way down the Piet Hein kade and even made it to the Kattenburg area to catch a tram. Sorry for your unnecessary inconvenience!

About a ship's lenght down the "kade" (cay) you will find Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant. And crossing the railroad tracks and a bridge onto Oosterdokskade you'll find buffet restaurant La Place (tip; all made fresh and sustainable) and Italian chain restaurant Vapiano. And also a Chinese restaurant on a barge. I agree there isn't much choice as elsewhere in town but venturing into town early after breakfast and returning after dinner in town should be the norm when one stays in Amsterdam right? :D

Never posted on the HAL board but there is a tram and bus stop in front of the hotel, for anyone's future reference. :)

For those who picked up on the fact that river cruise ships also are docked close to the Movenpick, this is not always the case and not something you will be able to count on ahead of time. Our Viking Mimir last summer was scheduled to dock there and instead we were bused to a really remote dock that required several calls before the cab driver located it.

It's not in the central part of town, more on the edge, at the river. It's not an easy walk from the train station, but doable, I'd say more like 15-20 minutes with crosswalks, underpasses and then along the river past the riverboat docks. Its not convenient to the hop-on-hop-off canal boats for sightseeing (which are closer to the train station). It's not convenient to much in the way of restaurants but a few so you won't starve. It may not be near your HAL ship.... otherwise it is a very nice hotel. Lots of river cruise companies use it for pre-cruise add-ons.

Amsterdam is a wonderful city to spend a few days pre-cruise and to do this I would not choose this location. If you are overnighting and just want to recover from jet-lag before you board your cruise ship it may be a good choice if your ship will be docked near there, or within easy taxi distance. I thought the big ships (non-river cruise boats) had to dock a lot further away, best to check on that. m--

It's not in the central part of town, more on the edge, at the river. It's not an easy walk from the train station, but doable, I'd say more like 15-20 minutes with crosswalks, underpasses and then along the river past the riverboat docks. Its not convenient to the hop-on-hop-off canal boats for sightseeing (which are closer to the train station). It's not convenient to much in the way of restaurants but a few so you won't starve. It may not be near your HAL ship.... otherwise it is a very nice hotel. Lots of river cruise companies use it for pre-cruise add-ons.

But it is very convenient to the tram line, a <5 min ride to central station where you can transfer to any other line, grab a tour on the HOHO bus or a canal boat cruise. The Amsterdam trams are very easy to use and go everywhere.

Has anyone stayed at the Movenpick this summer before leaving on a cruise? We booked our stay through Holland America and I'm curious if breakfast was included. Also, check-in time is 3:00pm. Was anyone able to check in early? Thanks.

We booked our pre cruise stay at this hotel (through HAL) for later this month. We had to call them about another matter and inquired about breakfast. We were assured that breakfast is included on the HAL pre cruise stays.

My pre cruise stay booked through HAL in June was at movenpick, breakfast was included. It very nice buffet breakfast. We checked in early however rooms were not ready until 2 or so. We bought tickets for the canal boat tour from the hotel concierge. Very short walk to catch the boat. It was exciting to watch the ship sail in on embarkation morning.

I see that HAL has changed their pre-cruise hotel in Amsterdam from the Renaissance to Movenpick. Has anyone stayed at the Movenpick Hotel Amsterdam and would you recommend this hotel pre-cruise? I see that it is located quite close to the cruise port terminal! Is it possible to walk there with luggage from the Movenpick and how long does it take? :)

My DW and I are leaving on the Prinsendam from Imjuiden next Wednesday. Our transfer from Amsterdam to the ship is leaving from the Victoria Hotel. Are there 2 pre-cruise hotels in Amsterdam, or is it just that transfers to Imjuiden leave from the Victoria Hotel?

My DW and I are leaving on the Prinsendam from Imjuiden next Wednesday. Our transfer from Amsterdam to the ship is leaving from the Victoria Hotel. Are there 2 pre-cruise hotels in Amsterdam, or is it just that transfers to Imjuiden leave from the Victoria Hotel?

The post you're quoting is from a year ago.

Movenpik is a very nice Swiss hotel chain - you can count on them anywhere and they are just everywhere, selling their ice cream and European pastries in often unlikely locations. We think of them as a very welcome oasis when you want some "western" pampering. The Movenpik in Petra, Jordan is a favorite of mine.

We stayed at the Movenpick in August 2013 for the night preceding our Eurodam Norway and Baltic States cruise and can highly recommend it. We were upgraded to one of the top floors and were able to see the Eurodam sail in!

Yes, it's very walkable from the Movenpick to the Amsterdam cruise terminal. Absolutely no need for transport unless you are disabled but it's a very short distance.

As others have stated the Movenpick hotel is a really good place to stay - nice comfortable rooms, cruise passengers usually get a room with a view of the canal and on the top floors. Really good buffet breakfast - as others have mentioned, it's a Swiss hotel chain and their jams and coffee alone are to die for. There usually is sparkling wine to be had for breakfast as well and of course all the other trimmings like freshly made omelets etc.

Cruise terminal is right next door.

The HoHo canal boat has a stop very near to the hotel - I think it's about a 2 minutes walk. The restaurant for lunch and dinner is good but not really cheap. But the tram station is opposite the hoptel and it's only two or three stops away from the main station ( Amstzerdam Centraal) where you can pick up sandwiches, walk into the city centre or use the HopOn buses and canal boats right next to the station.

We have walked the distance from Amsterdam Centraal to the hotel several times and it really is doable: right along the canal, with views of the river cruise boats, just cross two streets and avoid to walk on the bike road next to you ( lots of people do it and get angry shouts...) but stay on your side of the walk which is clearly marked "pedestrians".

If you have children with you or some time to spend - there's the NEMO Science museum, again a ten-minute-walk and very recommendable.

Has anyone found that it is better to book the Movenpick yourself or go through HAL? The cost difference is considerable but sometimes booking through the cruise line is better. All opinions welcome

Has anyone found that it is better to book the Movenpick yourself or go through HAL? The cost difference is considerable but sometimes booking through the cruise line is better. All opinions welcome

You can certainly book via the hotel site - much cheaper, same comfort - try to find an offer where breakfast is included - it's absolutely excellent. Don't forget to mention at check-in that you are a cruise passenger then you'll almost certainly be assigned one of the rooms with a view of the canal and the ship coming in!

Sometimes the hotel is fully booked though - many cruise passengers know of its comforts and proximity to the terminal - check first before you decide which way to book!